The present invention relates generally to brazing methods and more particularly to a method for brazing a pair of sheet metal layers in the fabrication of a cooled sheet metal panel for use in an engine nozzle structure.
In advanced engine nozzles, the sheet metal walls must be cooled. Existing methods for brazing sheet metal members together in the fabrication of the nozzle wall structure have suffered from problems associated with maintaining satisfactory registration of the two sheet metal members during brazing, effecting a satisfactory continuous braze joint, and at the same time preventing flow of fused braze material from deleteriously affecting structure of the brazed wall assembly.
The invention substantially solves or reduces in critical importance problems with existing methods by providing a method for making a brazed sheet metal panel of particular utility in engine nozzle structures, wherein braze material powder carried in a polymer binder is sprayed to preselected surface density onto one wall member layer and the two layers then held in contact while being heated in a vacuum furnace at appropriate preselected brazing temperature.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an improved brazing method for joining two sheet metal members.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a brazing method for fabricating a cooled sheet metal panel for use in an engine nozzle structure.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent as the detailed description of representative embodiments proceeds.